Welcome Home
by QueenCate
Summary: AU future fic: Veronica gets a call from Neptune and is forced to return home for the first time in years to help save the one person who has always been there for her.
1. Still a Marshmallow

_Yeah, so I love AUs lately. This one is a future one. It takes place about five or six years after season one. Veronica has graduated college and it working as a reporter for a newspaper in L.A. Everything from season and the summer following it has happened, but nothing else from season two has happened. I think that it, but if I think of anything else, I'll leave another Author's Note. Please read and review!_

--x--

"Nice job on the Andressi story, Veronica." Her coworker smiled slightly and very falsely as he paid her the small compliment in passing. Veronica nodded back, knowing full well that he didn't mean it. Cliff had wanted that story since the moment it broke and had gone postal when Veronica had gotten it. Well, too bad, Cliffy-boy. She had knocked it out of the park and she knew it. Just imagining the look on Cliff's face when he had read the article brought a smile to Veronica's gloss coated lips.

"What are you smiling about, Mars?" A familiar voice barked out. "Not getting cocky now, are you?" Veronica's editor tried to disguise his burgeoning smile beneath his salt-and-pepper mustache, but it didn't quite work.

Veronica smiled back. "Wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Leary."

"You did a nice job on the Andressi article, but you shouldn't let it go to your head. It's still way too early in your career to be counting your chickens," Mr. Leary warned.

"I know, I know," Veronica grumbled. "Couldn't just pay me a compliment, could you?" she teased lightly, knowing that compliments that weren't followed by some sort of criticism or warning were damn near impossible to get from Mr. Leary.

Mr. Leary grunted and walked away, leaving Veronica to chuckle to herself as she put away the oversized file in her arms. The drawer shook the desk when it closed, toppling over a framed photograph. The picture was familiar, bringing back memories sweet and unsettling from her teenage years. There was a grinning Veronica, her arms wrapped around her beaming father's neck, dressed in billowing graduation robes of emerald green, Neptune High's color. Keith's Mars's wife, Alicia Fennel, stood next to them, mugging for the camera with her son and Veronica's best friend, Wallace. But it was a small, blurred figure that caught Veronica's eye. It was someone she had never noticed in the picture before, looking on at the exuberant scene before him. Logan, standing alone, with no one to hug or congratulate him on what should have been one of the most memorable days of his life. Unfortunately, they had all had more than their share of memorable days before then, most of them unpleasant. The clanging of the phone diverted Veronica's attention away from her blast to the past. "Veronica Mars," she answered briskly.

"Hi, Veronica, this-this is Alicia." Alicia's voice quavered as she spoke and for some reason sent chills racing up Veronica's spine. "We have a problem here and we could really use your help."

Veronica sat bolt upright. "What is it, Alicia? Where's my dad?" An intern tried to catch her attention, but Veronica waved her away irritably.

"He-I don't know," Alicia admitted. Veronica could tell the woman was close to tears as she added, "He hasn't been home for a few nights. I know he sometimes leaves unexpectedly, but he hasn't called or anything and I know he's been working on a big case."

Veronica hit a few keys on her keyboard and seconds later Expedia opened up. With a few more deft strokes of the keys, Veronica had booked the next flight from L.A. to Neptune. "Alicia, I'll be there in a few hours. Can someone pick me up at the airport?"

"Yes, of course. I'll send Wallace," Alicia readily agreed.

As soon as she hung up with Alicia, Veronica called her editor over. "Listen, Mr. Leary, I'm gonna need to take a few vacation days, starting now. There's been a family emergency back home and I've gotta fly back ASAP."

A look of concern fell upon Mr. Leary's face. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Veronica assured him. She had pulled out her cell phone and was quickly thumbing through her contacts until she hit upon a number she used to know by heart. "Hey, Weevil," she said when he answered. "Guess who?"

"Veronica Mars," Weevil answered without hesitation. "How you been, girl? I hear you're a big shot writer up there in L.A. now. No more food stamps for you, huh?"

"Don't beat around the bush, Weevil. You heard about my dad?" Veronica continued gathering her stuff, ignoring Mr. Leary, who was still standing in the doorway to Veronica's cubicle, wearing a confused expression. Veronica brushed by him on her way to the elevator. There was no time to fill Mr. Leary in on her soap opera of a life.

"Yeah…You're tilting your head and smiling, aren't you?" Weevil asked warily.

"How'd you know?"

"I dunno. Must be psychic."

Can you guess what I'm gonna say next?" she asked as she pushed the down button by the elevator.

"Do me a favor?" Weevil asked in a falsetto.

"Wow, you really are psychic!"

"Yeah, I might even get a booth at the carnival this year."

"That'd be a sight I'd have to see," Veronica teased. "Now about that favor, I need you to start checking out the local scene, bars, night clubs, anywhere you think someone who knows anything about my dad would be. I'll be in town in a few hours, but the trail is getting colder by the minute. Can you get your boys on it?"

""Course," Weevil told her. "See ya soon, V."

"See ya soon," Veronica repeated softly after Weevil had hung up. She was going back to Neptune. Just when she thought she was out, they pulled her back in. Now she just hoped her father could hang on until she tracked him down.

-x-

The plane's engine rumbled underneath her. Veronica wished it would lull her to sleep, but knew it would be next to impossible. Her brain was buzzing with thoughts and memories of her father and Neptune in general. Her father had always been her strength, the shoulder she leaned on when her protective outer shell failed her. Without him, Veronica knew she would have lost herself during high school, especially that horrible year following Lilly's murder. He had said once that if it hadn't been for him, Veronica wouldn't have had to get through that year. That wasn't true. She had still lost her best friend and sheriff or not, her dad wouldn't be able to change that. And even if she hadn't been outcast by her oh-so-nice peers, she knew her loss of status would have been great. Without Lilly and Duncan by her side, she wasn't anything special. No, either way she would have had to survive that year and her dad was the reason she had. Now she had to help him survive. She only hoped she could.

-x-

"Yo, V!"

Veronica smiled she recognized the voice and spun around to face her best friend. "Wallace, my brutha!" she called out, struggling through the throng to reach him. His hand appeared before her and she grabbed it, allowing herself to be pulled from the innards of the crowd. She threw her arms around Wallace, enveloping him in a bear hug. "I've missed you," she said softly.

He squeezed her and answered in a whisper, "Same here." Then in a louder, playful voice, he added, "Seriously, though, what's not to miss about me?"

"I think it's this hair I've missed most," Veronica told him jokingly, running her fingers through his thick hair. 'Ah, heaven!" she sighed in a dreamy voice.

Wallace shook his hair wildly and laughed. "Oh yeah, I get that all the time." He led to way to baggage claim and the two fell into a slightly awkward silence. Finally, after several failed attempts consisting of his mouth opening a closing like a fish's, Wallace managed to piece to together what he hoped was an appropriately comforting sentence. "I'm sorry about your – _our_ – dad. Anything I can do? Run license plates, meet up with sexy widows?"

Veronica laughed. "You just did it…little brother."

"It's three months! And did I call it or what when I said you were a marshmallow?" Wallace teased, lifting her olive green suitcase off the baggage belt and leading her to the car.

"Shut up," Veronica said before letting out a noise that sounded like a sob that changed its mind too late and wasn't able to become a laugh in time. She tried to discreetly wipe her moist eyes as she ducked into the passenger seat of Wallace's car, but Wallace picked up the deft motion.

Wallace quickly jumped into his seat and wrapped Veronica in another hug. "Veronica, it's gonna be okay. We aren't even positive anything is wrong yet. He might just be lying low for a while as part of a case and can't get to a phone."

Veronica sniffed, a faint pink tinge coloring her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blubber all over your nice, used car here, but it's just that I can't help feeling something is really wrong. What if I never get to see him again?"

"Hey, hey, none of that. We're gonna find Keith. I swear on my hair," he added lightly. He was gratified when she cracked a smile and rubbed the remaining tears from her eyes.

"How _Lifetime_ movie do we sound?" Veronica asked in a husky voice.

"We could give those B-list actors a run for their money," Wallace agreed. He turned the key in the ignition and pulling from the airport parking lot.

Twenty long minutes later, the two best friends pulled up in front of a familiar suburban home. Their little half-brother came running out to greet them.

"Veronica! Veronica! Mommy says you're gonna help find Daddy," he yelled as he wrapped his arms tightly around Veronica's jean-clad legs.

"Hey, Ryan. Your mommy's right. I'm gonna find Daddy," Veronica reassured him.

Ryan looked up at his sister with wide eyes. "Promise?" he asked softly.

"Promise," Veronica said, lifting him up and embracing him. Alicia appeared at the door and Veronica saw that she had been right to assume Alicia was crying. Veronica slowly made her way across the yard and up the porch steps. Standing in front of her step-mother, Veronica couldn't help but feel awkward. For some reason, she still felt semi-loyal to her real mother, despite Lianne having given her every reason to turn on her and then some. Shaking her head imperceptibly, clearing off those thoughts and feelings swirling around her. This wasn't about Lianne or Alicia. It was about her dad. Veronica leaned forward to give Alicia a brief hug, but Alicia latched on and held Veronica close, extending their hug for much longer than Veronica had intended. And Veronica had to admit it didn't feel at all bad to get a hug from a mother, even a step-mother.

Wallace cleared his throat from behind them, clearly wanting to put Veronica's heavy suitcase down.

Alicia reluctantly let go and hoarsely whispered, "I'm glad you here."

Wallace moved past them and down a long hallway. Ryan gripped Veronica's hand in his won and led her after him. In a moment, they reached a small but comfortable decorated in light pink. Veronica smiled warmly, realizing this was her room. They had saved it for her. Wallace saw her smile and quickly took the credit. "Thought you'd like it, you being a marshmallow and everything."

Flopping back onto the made-up bed, Veronica sighed. "Thanks, Wallace, but you didn't really think that would distract me, did you?"

"It was worth a try." Wallace shrugged and lay down next to Veronica. "So what're you gonna do next?"

Veronica propped herself up on her elbows. "Weevil and the PCH-ers are working the local scene, checking out the usual badasses, but I don't think he'll find anything. I have a feeling this is something bigger. After all, nothing happens accidentally here. No, I have to go in a different direction. I think it's time I paid the friendly local sheriff a visit. Think he'll be happy to see me?"

Wallace just shook his head and laughed.

-x-

Veronica entered the sheriff's department, smiling at those deputies she knew. They, in turn, gave her glares or secret smiles, depending on whether they had supported Lamb or her father in the election. Her father's supporters had to keep their smiles secret because Lamb would have their jobs if he knew they were still loyal to Keith Mars. She approached the desk and smiled warmly at the familiar deputy seated there.

"Hey, Leo," she greeted him.

"Hi, Veronica." He smiled for a second and then a horrible thought seemed to strike him and his smile gave way to a frown. "I'm really sorry about your dad."

Veronica squeezed his hand and replied, "Thanks. I need to see the sheriff. Is he here?"

"Yeah, hold on." Leo disappeared through a nearby door and a second later Sheriff Don Lamb emerged.

"Veronica Mars. Look what the cat dragged in." Lamb crossed his arms and stared at the petite woman in front of him.

Smiling humorlessly, Veronica shot back, "Yeah, I know. How _did_ you fit in that poor cat's mouth?"

Lamb treated her to one of his patented glares.

"Wow, you still got it. Did you use that glare in your election campaign? Cause that could be what won you those votes."

"What do you want, Mars?"

"My father. Missing 73 hours. What are you doing to find him?" she demanded. "And I hope for your sake it's something good."

"We have a deputy on it. We're thinking he might have left his wife," Lamb informed her smugly.

Livid, Veronica yelled, "That's bullshit and you know it. My father didn't leave."

"How can you be so sure? You haven't been home in how long? Two years, is it? Maybe things have changed."

"I know my father and he would never leave," Veronica declared adamantly, remembering her high school days, when she and her father had been so close. True, they'd grow apart in the past few years, but nothing could change that much. Her father stuck with things when they got hard.

"Oh, that's right. You're mother is the one that leaves, right?"

Veronica stared angrily and forced herself not to slap him. He would just love a chance to arrest her.

"What are you gonna do now? Go all Nancy Drew again?"

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do." Turning on the heel of her black boots, Veronica stormed off furiously.


	2. Big T

--x--

"Psst, Leo!" Veronica stage-whispered. Leo's head whipped up and he glanced back and forth. Not seeing anyone, he shrugged it off and returned to his paperwork. "Leo!" she whispered again, slightly louder. This time when he looked up, Leo saw her, smiled, and made to walk towards her. Waving frantically, she motioned him to stop. He complied and watched in confusion as she pointed emphatically to the "out of order" bathroom across the hall from her and held up five fingers, telling him to meet her in there in five minutes. Smiling amusedly, Leo nodded his head in agreement and returned to his paperwork as casually as possible, knocking over a can of pencils as he went. "Smooth, Leo, real smooth," Veronica muttered under her breath, smiling despite herself, before ducking into the bathroom that she had hung an out of order sign on minutes before.

After what seemed like a year, but was in all likelihood only a few minutes, Leo darted through the swinging door, quickly pushing it shut behind himself. "Hey, Veronica," he greeted her in his slow, deliberate voice. "What's with the cloak and dagger?"

"Lamb's an ass," Veronica said simply.

"Yeah, and…?"

"He won't help look for my dad. Being the rat that he is, he's calling it abandonment."

Leo only looked mildly shocked. "Were you expecting anything better from him? He had to destroy your father's reputation just to win office. He won by default. Your dad has always been his biggest enemy. Now that he's gone, if Lamb declares it abandonment, he's killing whatever's left of your dad's reputation. The lower class citizens are especially hostile towards abandoners, and that's where most of your dad's supporters are."

Veronica shook her head slowly. "You're right, but still. I guess I'll never be able to completely kill that whole 'people are good and the sheriff is on your side' notion. What can I say, I'm secretly a softie. But can you help me out with this, Leo? Keep your eyes and ears peeled for anything about my dad?"

"Of course."

"Great, thanks, Leo. You're amazing. Let me know the second you know anything," she added.

"Will do," he promised with a salute before quickly exiting the bathroom, leaving Veronica to her thoughts. She zoned out for a minute, wondering where her father was and why he had gone missing. There were so many possibilities and she disliked like each one more than the last. After a minute as a space cadet, she pulled her self out of her little coma and hurried through to her car. Shortly after, she pulled up in front of a familiar stain glassed building. Veronica let herself in as she had done hundreds of times before and allowed the nostalgia to wash over her. It hurt being here, knowing her father wouldn't be breezing through the door with a quip or a joke or a bad imitation of someone. An extensive search of his desk revealed an old calendar page with three numbers circled. The dates were nothing special, as far as Veronica knew, so she tried various combinations of them on the safe. On the third try, she heard a tell tale click and eagerly swing the door open. She rifled through his files carefully, searching for anything that could give her even the smallest lead. Finally, she hit upon something that made her eyes widen. Veronica pulled out her cell phone and rapidly punched in a number she knew as well as her own.

"Hey, Wallace. Whatcha doin'?" she sing-songed.

"Watching a _South Park_ repeat."

"Oh, how exciting your life is!" she teased as she made her way through the Sheriff's Department parking lot. "Listen, I need your help with something."

"What else is new?" he asked in mock exasperation.

"Not Lamb's attitude," she assured him. "He's still the same old pathetic loser with a heart of steel. The bastard says my dad left on his own." She could practically see Wallace shaking his head in disgust and she continued. "We're gonna have to do this on our own, old school. And no, there will most likely _not_ be any sexy widows involved."

Wallace feigned disappointment before asking, "So whatcha need?"

"Um, a lock pick, the black mini dress in my closet, and an escort for a visit to The Seventh Veil."

"What, no microphones?"

"Nope, I've got one in my car," she assured him. "Just get the stuff and meet me at my dad's office in an hour."

"All right," Wallace agreed. "But one of these days you're gonna have to ask me for a normal favor, like borrowing twenty bucks."

"Ha, yeah right. Oh that reminds me, you still owe me five bucks from that bet on when your mom and my dad would get married," she reminded him. "Better pay up soon, brother."

Wallace muttered something that sounded like, "In your dreams," before hanging up."

With a smile, Veronica put her phone away and continued to thumb through the file in her hand. It's always best to go into something like this prepared. Going undercover was one of Veronica's favorite parts of being a PI.

An hour and ten minutes later, Wallace screeched to a stop outside Mars Investigations and Veronica, who had been waiting impatiently, stuck her head through the open passenger window and said, "I swear, you take longer to get ready than Madison Sinclair."

Wallace got out and slammed his door shut. "How long you been waiting to say that?"

"About five minutes. Did you like it?"

"Oh, yeah, remind me to not laugh some more later," Wallace answered dryly, but Veronica saw a smile creeping across his baby-cute face as he handed her the supplies.

"Oh, goody, my disguise is here!" she exclaimed in a cheerful voice. "Wait'll you get a load of this one!"

Shaking his head, Wallace followed her back up the stairs, eager to see what she had put together for her disguise.

Twenty minutes later, Veronica paraded through the bathroom door, clad in the black mini dress. Her lips shone a deep red and her eye lids glinted in the light. "How do I look?" she asked Wallace as she spun around slowly.

"Like a hooker," Wallace replied.

"Perfect."

A phone rang a second later. Wallace reached into Veronica bag and tossed her cell phone across the room to her. "Hello?" she asked in a throaty voice that Wallace couldn't help laughing at.

"Veronica?"

"Oh, hey, honey," she greeted her boyfriend in her normal voice. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to see how things are going with your dad. Do I wanna know what's up with the voice?"

"Probably not. But did you like it?"

"Oh, yeah," he said with a laugh. "How's it coming with your dad?"

Veronica sighed. "Not so good up til now, but I finally found a small lead so I'm running with it. That's where I headed now, to follow up on it."

"Where are you going?"

"The Seventh Veil," Veronica answered simply, smiling as she imagined the confused look on his face. "I'll explain later. I've gotta get going."

"All right. Bye. And be careful."

"I will," she promised. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Bye."

"Aww," Wallace cooed. "How cute."

"Shut up," Veronica snapped, pretending to be mad, but secretly she liked it. The thought of Duncan always brought a smile to her face.

-x-

Wallace let out a low whistle as he took in The Seventh Veil. "Damn, girl, you don't do anything halfway, do you?"

"Hey, I didn't pick this place," Veronica defended herself. "Just following a lead. So make yourself comfortable while I find a Mr. Jason Bonavita. Just stay close and make sure I can find you when I need to."

"Ay, ay, chief!" Wallace saluted and wandered off into the crowd, leaving Veronica to scan the room for Jason Bonavita.

A quick check on the PryingEyez website had told Veronica his criminal record. At age 17 he had been sentenced to three years in a state prison for drug dealing, gotten out at 19 for good behavior. Nothing since then. Of course, her father's files said that, but Veronica liked to double check. Keith's files had been much more informative. Turns out Bonavita hadn't stayed clean, as his record would suggest. He'd just gotten smarter about hiding it. Since his release, he had worked his way up to the top, right below the head honcho. Curiously, only a select few had seen his face and of those few, half were dead. And absolutely no one knew his real name, referring to him simply as Big T. Creative, huh?

Suddenly Veronica's eyes fell upon Bonavita's face and she whispered, "Bingo." Slowly but surely, she made her way across the room towards Bonavita, careful not to look directly at him, so as not to alert him that she was headed his way. When she was inches from him, she made eye contact with a girl dancing nearby and nodded slightly. The girl winked back and sashayed over to Bonavita and whispered something in his ear. His face lit up and he followed the girl towards one of the back rooms. Veronica waited ten minutes and then followed them down the hallway. Just as she reached the first door, she saw the girl – Carla – ducking out of a room. "He's all yours, V," Carla whispered with a small smile.

"Thanks, Carla."

"Anything for Keith," Carla replied before reentering the crowd of people on the dance floor. It paid that her father had been sheriff, and a nice one at that. A lot of people had been helped out of tight places by him. Carla was one of them. When Veronica told Carla he was missing, she had been more than happy to help.

Veronica ducked through the door of the room Carla had just left and was glad to see that Carla had done her part and handcuffed Bonavita to the bed to keep him from escaping. "Hello, Jay-boy."

"Who the hell are you?"

"What? Don't you recognize me?" Veronica asked in a steady as she slowly approached the bed. "Oh, well. I'll just have to refresh your memory. I'm Veronica Mars, the girl who's gonna bring you down. I'm told you know my dad, Keith Mars…Yeah, I see the name more than rings a bell. So where is he?"

Jason's face hardened as the shock of the petite blonde confronting him about her father. "I don't know nothin'," he spat out.

"Wrong answer," Veronica said, pulling out her knife. In a flash, it was against his throat. "Wanna try again?"

"I don't know where he is," Bonavita confessed after a minute. "Only Big T knows for sure. A bunch of lackeys took him somewhere, but then a few more picked him up from there and moved him someplace else. No one knows when the chain stopped, so no one's sure if he's still where they left him."

Veronica surveyed Bonavita through narrowed eyes. "You better not be lying to be, Jason. Cause I'll be back if you are. Oh, and tell your buddy Big T, real creative nickname by the way, that I'll be seeing him soon, and that he'll be the one in handcuffs then." She turned to walk away but stopped after only a few steps. "I _so _didn't mean it like that! I meant he'll be arrested. God, some people are so immature."

-x-

The next morning, Veronica awoke reluctantly and dragged herself out of bed. She had just dressed in black pants and long, white button up shirt when a loud rumbling filled the air, rapidly approaching the Mars-Fennel household and disturbing every neighbor on the block. Veronica hadn't heard the familiar purring of the motorcycle in years and it brought a nostalgic smile to her smile. What she was nostalgic for, Veronica couldn't quite figure out, but she smiled all the same. She raced down the hallway, her white oxford work shirt flapping behind as she slipped and slid in her socks on the wooden floor, feeling very much like Tom Cruise in _Risky Business_. Of course, that reminded her of Logan at that dance and brought another smile to her face. This one, however, faded quickly as dozens of other Logan-related memories flooded in after it. Damn memories. Why could the bad ones just disappear?

Alicia looked startled as she peeked out the kitchen window at the newly arrived PCH biker gang. "Veronica, what the…?"

Veronica smiled slightly, remembering that despite being married to her dad for four years, Alicia undoubtedly still wasn't used to the various odd disruptions that happened at the Mars house, especially where Veronica was concerned. "He's a friend of mine, Alicia."

Alicia's eyes widened in shock, but she chose not to say anything, a wise move in Veronica eyes. She knew Alicia was still as uncomfortable around her stepdaughter as Veronica was around her. Instead, Alicia set about drying the dishes. For her part, Veronica scurried out the door and down the front steps. "Hey, Weevil. Whatcha got for me?"

Weevil rubbed his bare head anxiously and avoided Veronica's gaze for a minute. "I heard some things, nothin' definite. Nothin' good, either."

Trying not to let the disappointment and sorrow show, Veronica swallowed hard and said, "It's all right. This is just the beginning. I didn't expect to find him so soon, anyway. After all, Neptune has had a lot of practice at hiding its dirty little secrets, but I'm guessing they've grown a little lax lately, since I haven't been around to reveal those secrets on a weekly basis. Someone's gonna slip up and then we'll get our first lead. It's all gravy from there. I just hope it's soon," she added softly, lowering her gaze to the ground in an attempt to hide the tears welling in the corner of her eyes. Damn tears. She must have gotten soft these past few years away from Neptune. Better work on that, she told herself.

After a moment's hesitation, Weevil's reached out and rested his strong hand on Veronica's slender arm. "Listen, V, my boys and me, we'll find him. No matter what it takes, we'll get you somethin' you can use. Somethin' other than the garbage we heard already."

Her interest piqued, Veronica's head whipped up. "Spill, Mr. Clean."

Weevil shot her a brief, annoyed look. "Call me that again…" he said warningly.

"That's an empty threat and you know it. What're you gonna do? Tape me to a flagpole? How high school of you. Besides, I'm too cute to hurt." She tilted her head, smiled, and when she was sure she had his attention, flipped her hair. "I so own you now."

Smiling despite himself, Weevil told her, "Some of my boys heard some rumors about your dad. Nothin' credible, but it's the best we got. No one trusts me; they know I'm probably in league with you. But they aren't so careful around these guys. Luis heard some guy, said he was a friend of Big T's from way back when. Only back then, he went by a different name."

"And that name was…?" Veronica prompted impatiently.

"You ever heard of a guy named Troy Vandegraff?"

"Troy Vandegraff?" Veronica asked in a mock-thoughtful voice. "Hmm. The name does ring a bell. About 6 feet tall, blue eyes, brown hair, used to be my boyfriend until he tried to use me to smuggle drugs out of the country and meet up with his druggie girlfriend? Yeah, I think I've heard of the guy."


	3. Wow, You Really Do Care

Veronica charged back into the house, calling for Wallace. He came running out of his room. "What is it, V? You find something?"

"And how," Veronica told him as she led him into her room and closed the door. "Remember Troy Vandegraff?"

Wallace thought for a minute. "Yeah, didn't you date him for a while, back in high school? Wasn't he a dealer?"

"Yep, that's the one," Veronica answered. "Apparently he's Big T. That is, if what Weevil's boys heard is right."

"Wow, this is getting pretty heavy, Veronica. You think we should get some help?"

"From who, Lamb?" Veronica gave a snort of disgust. "No way is he helping us. Leo's listening for any information about my dad, but I think that's the best we're gonna get, police wise. I told you, were doing this old school, and that means we find my dad ourselves and then rub it in Lamb's face," she finished, trying to sound at least a little confident. If anyone but Wallace had been listening to her, she would have fooled them, but Wallace knew better. He knew _her_ better. So instead on nodding in agreement like most people would have, he just wrapped his arms around her and they rocked back and forth as she allowed the tears to fall unchecked. This was where she was safe, here, in her father's house with her best friend and brother by her side. A soft knock sounded at the door a little while later, when Veronica had calmed herself enough to wipe her face and call for the person to come in.

Alicia walked into the room. "Veronica, there's someone hear to see you."

Curious, Veronica followed Alicia out into the living room. Cliff McCormack stood there, his back to her. When he heard her approach, he whirled around; his face twisting into a half smirk, half smile as he opened his arms. "I heard the rumors but I wasn't sure I could believe it. Veronica Mars back in Neptune."

"Hey, Cliff," Veronica greeted him, stepping into his arms for a hug. That seemed be all she did lately. She stepped back and studied him. "Spill it."

"I checked around. No one's heard from Troy Vandegraff since he was a junior. He got sent away to boarding school, but he got the cab driver to drop him somewhere else. That's the last anyone's seen of him. It's like he just vanished. Although, if you're asking about him, I'm guessing he didn't." Cliff gave her a shrewd look that Veronica knew was his way of saying it was her turn to spill.

For some reason, Veronica didn't want to tell him what she knew. She trusted him completely, that wasn't why. She supposed that if the more people who knew, the more likely it was that Troy would start targeting her friends. Plus, she admitted, it would make this whole thing seem more real if she had to tell Cliff, someone not in her immediate family. Ex-boyfriend/drug dealer disappears after using her to smuggle drugs and reappears years later as leader of a drug ring, father starts investigating, ex-boyfriend kidnaps father, daughter has to find father and destroy ex-boyfriend. Her life really was a soap opera. Yep, just an average day in the life of any soap opera character and Veronica Mars.

"Hey, kiddo, it can't be that bad," Cliff said softly. Veronica realized tears were starting to well up again, brushed them aside, and gave Cliff a look. "On second thought, maybe it can. I'll just be leaving now. Call me if you need anything else."

After Cliff left, Veronica took a minute to regain her composure before pulling her cell phone out. But before she could dial a number, it rang. She checked the caller ID, smiled, and answered. "Hey, Duncan."

"Hey. Listen, an invitation came in the mail. It's our five year high school reunion on Saturday. I figured that since you're already in Neptune, I could just fly out in a few days and we could go." Duncan's voice sounded hopeful and Veronica knew he was eager to remember the popularity he had held in high school as the son of a billionaire.

"I guess so," she agreed reluctantly. "Wait, this Saturday? Why did the invitation come so late?"

"They sent both our invitations to the office, for some reason. Guess they didn't know our new address. And my secretary lost them until yesterday when she found them under an old potted plant."

Veronica rolled her eyes. Duncan's secretaries usually sprang from the low end of the gene pool. Sounded like this one was no different. "All right, we'll go. But you owe me big time."

Duncan laughed and promised to repay her. As soon as they hung, Veronica hit a speed dial on her phone. "Hey, it's me."

"Hey, V, you okay?" Weevil asked, concern leaking into his voice.

"Yeah, fine. Listen, I need another favor."

"Why am I not surprised. What is it this time?"

"I need you to tell me about Big T's friend, the one your buddy heard. Name, haunts, whether he has a weakness for petite blondes?"

Weevil's voice was wary when he answered. "All right, I'll get working on it. And I'm not gonna ask why you wanna know about the petite blonde thing."

"Great, thanks, Weevil. And get back to me as soon as you can." Veronica snapped her phone shut and spun around to go back to her room, stopping when she saw Alicia staring at her with an unreadable look. "Hey, Alicia," she said slowly. "Bet you're wondering about that, huh?"

Alicia nodded. "Yes, an explanation would be nice."

"All right," Veronica said apprehensively. She wasn't sure Alicia would be able to handle everything that was going on, but Veronica had to fill her in sometime. She was her dad's wife, after all. "That was Weevil, a friend from high school and the leader of the local biker gang. He's the one who taped Wallace to the flagpole." Veronica winced at the look on Alicia's face. "Oops, forgot you didn't know about that. Anyway, I asked Weevil and his boys to find out what they can about my dad and one of them overheard and guy who said he was friend of a big-time drug dealer Dad was investigating. Turns out the drug dealer is my ex-boyfriend and drug dealer, Troy. So I need to talk to this friend of his and find out what the deal is...Do you need to sit down?" Alicia was suddenly looking rather pale. Veronica rushed over to her and helped ease her into a nearby chair. "Are you okay?"

Alicia nodded mutely.

"You need some time?"

Again, Alicia nodded and Veronica stepped away, leaving Alicia to mull over everything she had just heard, and walked off to find Wallace, who had disappeared during her conversation with Duncan.

"Wally," she sang out, peering into his room. There he was, lying flat on his bed, arm covering his eyes. "Wallace, what's wrong?"

Wallace lifted his arm and stared Veronica in the eyes. "It's not fair. You've been through enough. We all have. Why did this have to happen?"

Veronica sighed heavily. "I don't know, Wallace. I don't know why any of this happens, but I learned a long time ago that when it does happen, there's nothing I can do to change it. I just have to deal with it. And that's what I do. I deal, every day, with my past. It's something I can't escape, so I've learned to accept it. And you to have learn how to accept it, too. Now, you up for a trip to Sac N Pac?"

Wallace stared at her, wondering if she had finally lost her mind. "For what?"

"Oh, this and that. You know, whipped cream, cassettes for a tape recorder, anything that would entice a sleaze," Veronica told him with a smile.

"Right, silly me. Why didn't I think of that?" Wallace asked sarcastically.

-x-

The two friends walked through the scratched doors of the Sac N Pac. Veronica pointed to one of the employees, dressed in a red and white checkered shirt. "Don't you miss wearing that?"

Wallace eyes the guy. "Oh, yeah, all the time," she said sarcastically.

Veronica sighed lightly and looked off into the distance with smile that suggested she was recalling a fond memory. "You were just so cute. I always wanted to pinch your cheeks," she added, reaching over and pinching his cheek with her thumb and forefinger.

"What can I say, I know how to rock the checkered shirts," Wallace answered with a grin.

Veronica rolled her eyes with a grin of her own and led the way down the aisle, list in hand. "Whipped cream, whipped cream. Come out; come out, wherever you are."

"Hmm," a falsely thoughtful voice sounded from the other side of the aisle. "I would have thought you had a full collection of whipped cream by now."

Veronica's eyes widened in surprise as the familiarity of the voice registered in her head and quickly matched itself to a person. Logan. She whirled around and sure enough, there was Logan Echolls, in all his glory. Twelve pack of beer in either arm and a smirk on his face. Just as she remembered. What are you doing here?" she asked, in a steady voice. For some reason, the sight of him had rattled her. Maybe because she hadn't been expecting him. Or maybe because this visit had sent her down memory lane and everything she had been through in high school had been dragged back to the surface, fresh and painful. It was probably both.

"It's our five year reunion, Ronnie. How could you forget? I'm sure Duncan wants to go," he added, sounding oddly bitter.

"Yeah, he does. But I'm surprised you do," she said curiously.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Logan asked over-enthusiastically. "High school was the best time of my life. Especially with my super supportive family by my side. Why wouldn't I wanna remember that?"

Veronica shot him a look.

"Besides, I could say the same about you," Logan pointed out.

"Like you said, Duncan wants to go. Besides, I was already in town so I might as well."

Logan stared at her curiously. "Why _are_ you back? Last I heard you hadn't been home in years."

"Oh, how sweet, you've been keeping tabs on me. Wish I could say the same. Oh wait, no I don't." Veronica made to walk away, but Logan grabbed her arm.

"I asked why you're back. Did something happen?" He stared into her eyes and she felt goose bumps travel up her arm. It was unsettling, the way he could read her.

"Well, since you asked so nicely…My dad's missing. I came home to find him. Would you mind letting go? I've grown rather fond of my arm." She raised her eyebrows at his hand, which was still clutching her arm and starting to cut off the circulation.

Logan stepped back and threw his hands in the air. "Fine. Just making sure you're okay. Wouldn't want you to miss the reunion. We have a bet on which girl will get wasted and slutty first and I drew you."

"Wow, you really do care," Veronica said sardonically before walking off to find Wallace.


End file.
